Keep Squirrels Off Your Balcony With These Simple Upgrades

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

While you might assume that a balcony wouldn't be a very appealing — or accessible — spot for squirrels to visit, sadly neither of those assumptions would be correct. Even when balconies are several stories high, they're often no match for the climbing abilities of squirrels. Beyond simply being able to get reach the balcony, squirrels often find them to be an attractive location. Balconies are more secluded than other outdoor locations, giving the critters a spot to rest safely with less worry about a predator finding them. That's why things like keeping food scraps away and installing squirrel proof devices are important.

If you'd rather not share your balcony with squirrels, then it is important to know how to get them to leave — and to stay away. If you don't choose the right eviction technique, they may leave only to come back in the near future. Ahead, we'll share a few simple changes you can make to your balcony to make it a less appealing place for squirrels, encouraging them to leave the premises once and for all.

One of the simplest things you can do to prevent squirrels from visiting your balcony is to make sure you aren't inadvertently leaving anything out that might be attracting them. If, after sitting out on the patio, you leave behind plates with scraps of food or other trash, you could be encouraging them to stop by. Like many other pests, squirrels find trash and other sources of food attractive. They are considered opportunistic feeders, which means that they will seize any opportunity that arises to enjoy an easy meal. What could be easier than a plate of food sitting right on the balcony table just begging them to come eat it?

The open plates of food aren't the only thing that might attract the squirrels, however. If you currently have a trash can on your balcony, that too might be a draw for them. If they can smell food through the lid, they will look for a way to gain access — and will likely find a solution. To avoid these issues, the easiest thing to do is to avoid leaving any trash out on the balcony. If you enjoy an outdoor meal, be sure to clean up all of the dishes and any leftover food. Avoid leaving a trash can outside, but if you really need one, buy a lock, such as the Blazer Strong Strap Lid Lock, to deny squirrels entry.

The plants you choose to grow on your balcony could end up helping or sabotaging your efforts to keep the squirrels away. There are several plants that squirrels happily eat. If you have any of these planted on your balcony, you're only increasing the chances that they'll want to stop by to grab a bite. If you have a serious squirrel problem, you might want to rethink planting some of their favorite veggies, including eggplant, lettuce, cucumbers, squash, cabbage, and tomatoes. Sunflowers are another plant that squirrels will seek out, since they love their seeds. If you don't want to remove these favorites from your balcony garden, then you'll want to find a way to prevent the squirrels from gaining access to them, such as by using row covers or chicken wire.

Just as trying to avoid planting squirrel favorites in your balcony garden can help keep them away, so does introducing plants that squirrels can't stand. Onions and garlic have very pungent smells that are simply too overpowering for the animals. Hyacinth and daffodils are also less than appealing to the critters — they don't like the way the bulbs taste and won't want to hang out in close proximity to them. A few other flowers or vegetables you might want to incorporate into your balcony garden include hot peppers, geraniums, and fritillaries.

If you enjoy bird-watching and like providing these feathered friends with some food to help them stay healthy, you might have a bird feeder hanging on your patio. However, just as this source of food can attract birds to stop by, it may also be a reason why squirrels seem to be more attracted to your space. Removing the bird feeder entirely may be the easiest — and most effective solution. However, if you don't want to be that extreme and deprive the finches, songbirds, and bluebirds that you spot flying by, there are other solutions.

Keeping squirrels off a bird feeder requires using the right products, combining ideas, and adjusting your plan if one approach isn't successful (remember, squirrels can be persistent and might not give up so easily). There are various bird feeders on the market that are designed to deny squirrels access. Many, such as the Brome Squirrel Buster Plus Bird Feeder, close the feeding ports when the heavier weight of a squirrel is detected. If you like feeding your birds suet, you might try something like the Kingsyard Squirrel Proof Suet Feeder. With the extra cage around the suet cake, squirrels are unable to get close enough to take a nibble. Birds, on the other hand, can enter through one of the openings that are too small for squirrels to use.

Squirrels have a really good sense of smell, which is probably why they're so good at finding sources of food on your balcony. However, if you use this keen sense of smell to your advantage, you might just be able to prove to squirrels that your balcony is not somewhere they'll want to be spending their time. In addition to removing enticing foods and plants that they might smell and want to come snack on, you can also purposefully apply some less-than-appealing scents to keep them away.

Now, you'll need to be more purposeful about which scents you apply since we're talking about your balcony here. For example, predator urine and capsaicin (from hot peppers) are two odors that they find offensive. However, you probably don't want to spread either of these around on a balcony where you want to be able to enjoy yourself. Some unpleasant aromas to squirrels that you should be able to tolerate include peppermint oil (like the Handcraft Blends Peppermint Essential Oil), cinnamon oil (such as the Brooklyn Botany Cinnamon Essential Oil), and coffee grounds. However, it is important to note that you'll need to be vigilant about reapplying these scents. As their strength fades over time, so will their effectiveness. You also might want to rotate different scents to help prevent the squirrels from realizing that a certain smell is not a threat. There are other alternatives you may already have on hand, such as a bathroom staple that can keep squirrels away, or something as simple as laundry sheets that can help deter squirrels.

Another way that you can teach squirrels that they are not welcome on your patio is to scare them away. Since you or your pets can't sit on the patio in wait all day, you might consider using a decoy of a natural predator. Owls and foxes are two squirrel predators, so placing the Dalen Owl Decoy or the Design Toscano Woodland Fox Statue on your balcony might work. You'll want to move the decoy around periodically to help prevent squirrels from getting too accustomed to it.

You could also try installing a motion-sensing light, such as the Lepower LED Motion Sensor Security Light, on your patio. If the squirrels are trying to stop by after hours, the bright light that seemingly appears from nowhere might make them think twice about the safety of the location. As with other tactics, it is important to remember that relying on a single approach likely won't be as successful as combining multiple ideas or switching between them to keep the squirrels on their toes. Moreover, if you already have an existing squirrel problem, they are less likely to be scared away if they've already deemed the location safe or made a nest. If nothing works in these cases, you might want to contact a professional pest removal company near you.